Arsenal came from behind to beat Leeds United at the
Emirates on Saturday, scoring twice after the break to claim their fifth win in
six league games this season.
Mikel Arteta's side were sluggish in a first half in
which they managed just one shot on target against Daniel Farke's well-drilled
and physical team. Noni Madueke, overlooked by Thomas Tuchel for England's
latest squad, got a rare start on the left in place of the injured Christos
Tzolis, but neither he nor Bukayo Saka on the opposite wing could find a way
through a defence that had conceded only three league goals all season. Leeds
created a couple of half-chances before the interval, with David Raya smothering
a close-range effort from Jayden Bogle and then saving from Gabriel Gudmundsson
at a tight angle.
The game opened up after the restart. Ao Tanaka forced
Raya into a tip-over, and in the 55th minute James Justin put Leeds ahead,
finishing neatly from inside the box after a Gudmundsson cross ended a slick
move down the left. Gabriel Magalhaes got a head to the ball but could not keep
it out, and the home crowd fell silent.
The quiet did not last. Seven minutes later, an
unmarked Riccardo Calafiori levelled, converting a Ben White cutback past
England goalkeeper James Trafford. Substitute Bruno Guimaraes then won it with
a powerful finish at the end of a fine passing move down the left that involved
Saka, Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice.
The result lifts Arsenal to 15 points, second behind
leaders Manchester City on goal difference. It was Arsenal's first game since
their 3-0 loss to Brighton last month, their only defeat so far this season.
Attention had shifted back to the pitch after the
bombshell news that City were found guilty of more than 100 breaches of Premier
League financial rules. Enzo Maresca's side, who have a game in hand, expect a
hostile welcome at Liverpool on Sunday.
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